Carson City Coming Up!

Kathy, Joe, and I will take Fortunate Strangers to the Brewery Arts Center in Carson City, NV on Saturday, February 11 at 7:30pm - and I hope you'll come! There'll be opportunities to join us singing, and we promise to provide plenty of songs about love in all its various permutations! Find out how one clever maid avoids a pirate's unwanted attentions, or hear about the lad who kisses his lass through a window - and encounters some unexpected difficulties. With songs of love lost and love found, this show is perfect for sharing with your Valentine!

BACK IN THE STUDIO SADDLE, AGAIN!

I'm at it again - back in the studio with a new recording project. I don't have a name for it yet, but this time it will be ALL original songs. While many of my songs have been jazzy, others are not easily classified, so expect an eclectic mix of styles and instrumentation. With so many talented music buddies, I hope the result will be sort of a musical variety show. Also, you may remember that I've been taking piano lessons for the last four years, so I'm trying to lay down a couple of my own piano tracks. It's kind of scary for all manner of reasons, the biggest of which is our old friend, Self Doubt: is it good enough? Well, I'm taking a deep breath and hoping I play well enough to include it on the album. Above is a little video clip I made of my most recent studio date. I have lots of work ahead, but it's work I love to do. It'll probably take at least a year to finish, so stay tuned for updates!

WORKSHOP FULL! CARMONY A HIT!

Speaking of work I love to do, I'm delighted to report that the March 4 Harmony Singing Workshop sold out very quickly, which I take as a sign that everyone wants to sing more! Libby McLaren and I will look for opportunities to offer the workshop again, soon, but be sure to check my report of how it went in the March newsletter, so you can decide if the next one might be for you! And folks that bought their copy of Carmony are reporting back that they love it! You can find ordering information below.

THE LITTLE FAMILY DANCE THAT COULD

It feels like a resurgence! Family dances are coming back, and I couldn't be happier. Kudos to Sola Grantham for organizing a wonderful family dance in Belmont on January 29, where I called for preschool­age children and their parents with 80 pairs of feet in attendance. Craig Johnson, Paul Kostka and Clara Stefanov­Wagner was our band du jour and we even sat down and sang a song ­ as you can see in the picture. I felt it went VERY well and it was fun for everyone. I'll be doing an annual school dance at Sunridge School in Sebastopol with Jon Berger and Charlie Hancock playing in early March ­ that's a private event, but it will be my third year calling for them. There will also be a family dance in Sebastopol on Saturday, March 25 from 5 ­ 6:30pm at Wischemann Hall for kids of all ages.

I'm so happy that these dance opportunities exist for young children. They learn coordination and patterns, healthy social behavior, self­confidence, and the sheer joy of movement. It's my favorite way of having fun!